1971 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Within the short-lived Eisenhower dollar series (1971-1978), the 1971 WDDO-002 represents one of the earliest doubled die obverse varieties cataloged for this large-format modern dollar. Misalignment during the die hubbing process created visible doubling on the obverse design elements of Frank Gasparro's portrait of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Wexler Team attributed this variety under the designation 1971 $1 WDDO-002, and no additional cross-references in the CONECA or Fivaz-Stanton systems have been established. The 1971 Eisenhower dollar holds particular significance as the inaugural year of the series, when the Philadelphia and Denver mints produced copper-nickel clad versions for general circulation while San Francisco struck 40% silver collector editions. Philadelphia's 1971 production of 47.8 million pieces used the copper-nickel clad composition that would characterize most Eisenhower dollars throughout the series run. Because these large 38.1mm coins were never widely popular in commerce, many survived in relatively high grades, and variety hunters have identified dozens of doubled die listings across the series. The sheer size of the Eisenhower dollar planchet means that hub doubling can manifest across a larger surface area than on smaller denominations, sometimes making doubled dies easier to spot without high magnification. Collectors should examine the legends IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, and the date for evidence of separation or extra thickness that would confirm this as the WDDO-002 die rather than one of the other DDO varieties assigned to the 1971 date.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1971 $1 WDDO-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References